Observations by michellemei2137

1. Scientific and Common Names
   The woodchuck, or Marmota monax, was first scientifically described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. Other common names include the groundhog and the whistlepig (Smithsonian NMNH, n.d.).

2. Habitat and Geographic Range
   The woodchuck population is widely distributed across North America. They can be found occupying habitats as far north as Alaska and as southeast as Georgia, and are commonly seen in northeastern and central United States and Canada (Smithsonian NMNH, n.d.). Woodchucks have strong forearm muscles (Rupert et al., 2014) that dig burrows used for almost every purpose, including sleeping, raising offspring, and hibernating (Nature.ca, 2016). They are predominantly lowland mammals, preferring open country and clearings in woodlands (Toronto Zoo, 2017). Unlike many other species, deforestation has in fact provided the woodchuck with a more suitable habitat, rendering an increase in their population (Alberta Environment and Parks, 2010).

3. Size, Weight, and Lifespan
   Woodchucks live up to 6 years of age in the wild and 10-14 years in captivity (Tobias, 2011). They commonly weigh around 2-4 kilograms, but they may be heavier in the autumn, reaching up to 7 kg bulking for hibernation (Nature.ca, 2016). There is also slight sexual dimorphism observed in relation to weight, as males will generally weigh slightly more than females (Tobias, 2011). They are on average 40-65 centimeters long, and their tail is an additional 10-15 cm (Tobias, 2011).

4. Diet
   The woodchuck is primarily a herbivore – its diet consists mostly of grasses and vegetation, such as clover, dandelion, and alfalfa (Tobias, 2011). However, if available, may also consume insects, fruits and vegetables, and even small birds (Fisheries and Land Resources, 2017). After hibernation, they may consume bark and small branches to sustain themselves until such time where green vegetation grows again (Toronto Zoo, 2017).

5. Reproduction and Communication
   Male woodchucks are polygynous (Tobias, 2011), and have multiple mates each breeding season. They also their mark their scent by rubbing their muzzles against other surfaces, although a study found that males and females did not differ in the duration spent marking scent (Maher, 2004). In the wild, mating only occurs in the spring, usually right after emerging from hibernation. The female’s gestation period is roughly 31-32 days, and each litter birthed by the female may have from 1-9 pups weighing around 26-27 grams (Maher, 2004). After birth, the mother provides care to her offspring until they are weaned at around 44 days and become independent after roughly 2 months (Maher, 2004). As aforementioned, the woodchuck is also referred to as the whistle pig. This whistling is only given when the animal is in distress (such as to alert others of danger) or excited (Grizzell, 1955). They may also produce sound by grinding their teeth when they are challenged (Toronto Zoo, 2017).

6. Predation
   They are hunted by a variety of animals including wolves, coyotes, foxes, and bears, and young woodchucks are also more susceptible to being hunted by snakes and hawks (Tobias, 2011). In addition, growing urbanization has also named humans and domestic dogs as predators of the woodchuck.

7. Conservation Status
   The woodchuck’s diet and habitat make them a frustrating neighbour to humans to the point where they are sometimes seen as pests and businesses are hired to exterminate them (Tobias, 2011). Their dens are sometimes situated near roads, making them potential road victims. They are also natural prey for larger carnivorous animals. Despite this, their populations continue to thrive. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists them as a species of least concern, they are not listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered species (CITES), and they are labelled as “no concern” by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) (Toronto Zoo, 2017).

8. Did you know?
   Groundhog Day has been one of the more common folklores to society. It states that on the second of February of every year, the woodchuck awakens from its long winter sleep to step out from its burrow and observe its shadow. If it sees its shadow, it will go back to sleep, and we will have another 6 weeks of winter; if there is no shadow, it will remain awake and we will have an early spring (Tobias, 2011). In reality, hibernation usually lasts from October to March or April. Hibernation is a deep, comatose sleep, where bodily functions drastically slow down and the fat accumulated pre-hibernation nourishes the animal throughout winter. Their body temperatures drop significantly (from about 35°C to 3°C), their heart beat decreases (from around 80 to around 4-5 beats per minute), and their breathing rate and oxygen consumption are also reduced (Toronto Zoo, 2017). This folklore may have resulted from individuals observing woodchucks that emerge from their den prematurely re-entering hibernation (Tobias, 2011).

Works Cited
Alberta Environment and Parks. (2010). Woodchuck (Marmota monax). [online]
Available at: http://aep.alberta.ca/fish-wildlife/wild-species/mammals/rabbits-rodents/woodchuck.aspx [Accessed 27 Oct. 2017].
Fisheries and Land Resources. (2017). Animals - Woodchuck (Groundhog) | Department of Fisheries and Land Resources. [online]
Available at: http://www.flr.gov.nl.ca/wildlife/snp/programs/education/animalfacts/mammals /woodchuck.html [Accessed 27 Oct. 2017].
Grizzell, R. (1955). A Study of the Southern Woodchuck, Marmota monax monax. American Midland Naturalist, [online] 53(2), p.257.
Maher, C. (2004). INTRASEXUAL TERRITORIALITY IN WOODCHUCKS (MARMOTA MONAX). Journal of Mammalogy, 85(6), pp.1087-1094.
Nature.ca. (2016). Woodchuck: Natural History Notebooks. [online]
Available at: https://www.nature.ca/notebooks/english/woodchuck.htm [Accessed 27 Oct. 2017].
Rupert, J., Rose, J., Organ, J. and Butcher, M. (2014). Forelimb muscle architecture and myosin isoform composition in the groundhog (Marmota monax). Journal of Experimental Biology, [online] 218(2), pp.194-205.
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. (n.d.). Marmota monax Woodchuck. [online]
Available at: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/mna/image_info.cfm?species_id=146 [Accessed 27 Oct. 2017].
Tobias, C. (2011). Marmota monax (woodchuck). [online] Animal Diversity Web.
Available at: http://animaldiversity.org/site/accounts/information/Marmota_monax.html [Accessed 27 Oct. 2017].
Toronto Zoo. (2017). Woodchuck. [online]
Available at: http://www.torontozoo.com/ExploretheZoo/AnimalDetails.asp?pg=679 [Accessed 27 Oct. 2017].